Health Services

PHILADELPHIA - (July 29, 2010) – Joseph Harrison and Matthew Fadus, two Saint Joseph’s University Summer Scholars, are exploring how innovations in health care – telemedicine and concierge medical care – are affecting health care consumers. Both students are engaging in hands on research with medical and legal professionals, and both studies will be submitted for publication when complete.

A lucky few survive childhood and adolescence without dealing at some point with bullying. The problem is age-old, but more pervasive than ever with the rise of new technology. Whether children are the bully or the bullied, the repercussions can be great.

With the President's reelection and the Supreme Court's ruling last June, it is clear that the Affordable Care Act will soon come to fruition. Stakeholders in U.S. healthcare delivery gathered on Saint Joseph's campus Friday, Nov. 16, to discuss its implementation during a conference hosted by the Department of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing: The Impact of the Affordable Care Act.

For many Americans, health care is a paramount issue when weighing their choices for the presidency, and rightly so. Currently the United States spends nearly $9,000 per capita annually for health care, which far exceeds any other nation in the world. In addition to that statistic, America has disappointing infant mortality and life expectancy rates when compared to other developed nations. It’s clear to see that Americans have much at stake.

Fears of contracting the H1N1 virus this flu season have people steering clear of strangers with coughs and scolding friends who don’t sneeze into their crooked elbows. With everyone trying to stay germ free, hand sanitizer has become a popular means of protection. But although a quick pump from a Purell dispenser is the most convenient form of hand cleaning, is it the best?

There may not be a simple solution to the complex problem of reforming health care, but bioethicist Mark Aita, S.J., M.D., assistant director of the Institute for Catholic Bioethics at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, is certain of one thing – the elephant in the room that no one wants to discuss is that insured Americans contribute to the problem.

No one can argue that autism is getting more attention than it did 10 years ago. But considering that autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the United States, research and services for those who need them most struggle to keep up. Add to that all the mixed messages parents and families dealing with a diagnosis receive.

As students head back to school this fall, many of them will encounter name-calling, putdowns or malicious rumors from other students. In order to control bullying, Pennsylvania is requiring anti-bullying policies in all schools by next year. Sally Black, Ph.D., bullying prevention expert, says policies against bullying are not enough. Holding adults accountable is the key to protecting children.